Monthly Photo Update

Even after five months, I still feel ILL every time I see my pre-surgery photos. It's like a car crash, you don't want to look at the horror and nastiness but you just can't look away!!!!!

The April photos are a bit random -- we got a new camera the other day, which is very fancy with two lenses (it's a digital SLR) and my husband hasn't worked out how to zoom in yet. And also, we have moved since the last photos, and I'm still trying to find a "blank canvas" to pose in front of. I don't really have an excuse for the cat - apart from the fact that I adore her xxx

My last weigh in was 133 even - not sure if I put that in here, I am due to weigh in again in a couple of days. Have also done my monthly measurements, and I have lost 22cm from my hips (basically I just measure my widest part ha ha!).

So much more to say, and no time in which to write. I miss my old job sometimes, where I could surf the net and email and blog whenever it was quiet. I will do some more updating over the weekend. Want to send out major hugs and best wishes to my friend G from South Australia, who takes the surgical step on the 9th -- I'm making room for you on the loser's bench!

This Week's Date With The Scales

I am now down to 136kg even, or 299.2 pounds -- so I am under the magic 300 line! Hooray!

Here are a couple of comparison photos for those of you with strong stomachs (WARNING: excess flesh approaching lol)

How A Person Gains 60 Pounds In 12 Months

Photo One - This is me in 1997, heart intact, fat but healthy and fit

Photo Two: Just over 12 months later I'm 60 pounds heavier and another 80 pounds is on its way...

By the way, I weighed in this morning. I gained weight!! I am now 140.2kg (308.4 pounds).

Two Great Photos From My New Life

Every morning and evening I get to crush up the little goodies that keep me healthy! As you can see above, there are a few different things I take: Multivitamins, Antioxidants, Omega 3, Selenium and Calcium/Magnesium (as well as my usual medication for depression and urticaria/hives). Obviously I don't crush the Omega 3 caps, as they are gel! And the Plaquenil is enteric coated for slow release so that can't be crushed either. They seem to go down ok, and the others get mixed into apple puree for easy digestion (:

The brand I use is called USANA (www.usana.com), they are from the US and are one of the only nutritionals that are manufactured up to pharmaceutical grade. More expensive than the ordinary ones, but they are a lot more effective.

My other favourite photo lately is below - it's a little gift I received from my dietician at Mercy after my post-op checkup! A tiny little bowl, chopsticks (to slow my eating down lol), a magnet with the Gastric Sleeve Golden Rules, a gym pass and a sachet of Fibergel. How gorgeous it that?! I was thrilled to get such a lovely gift, so thoughtful. Had to include a picture of it in my blog of the journey.

One Month On Optifast - Photos

Sept 170kg Oct 158kg


Sept 170kg Oct 158kg


I really think my stomach looks smaller!!

Before Photos

ONE - The last time I was a "normal" weight, 65kg, height 173cm. It was 1986 and I was sixteen, going to a Ball. Who knows WHAT was with my Princess Di head tilt!!!

TWO - 1992, London. The aunty I stayed with called me fat SO many times. I was about 85kg wearing size 18.

THREE - Amalfi Coast, Italy. Same trip as above. I love this photo of myself. I hope I get back that sense of freedom and possibility, though I think some of it disappears with age!

FOUR - Blue Ridge Mountains, USA. Why are all my favourite healthy photos of me travelling??? I guess I did travel a lot in those days. Before seat belt extender entered my vocabulary...1995, 100kg ish

FIVE- Sept 2007, just when I started Optifast in preparation for gastric surgery, band or sleeve. Around 170kg I think.

SIX - Denver, Colorado USA. Jeez I was a mess. By then I weighed around 125kg and was tired and asthmatic.

I have decided to move these photos into a post for now, until there is something to compare them to, maybe? For some reason, I don't want to see them every time I log in, even though they are a terrific incentive not to eat ha ha!! Also, I have added some photos of when I was healthier and smaller, also as an incentive. The photo next to my underwear shots was taken only 3 years after the one above it...amazing what a broken heart does to ya.